Of Honey, Hooligans and Herbology Quizzes
by thecompletebookworm
Summary: Written for Morning Lilies' Photo Album Competition- Louis is stuck with the job of trying to control James and Fred as they take Hogwarts by storm.  He's survived most of the year, but things might just start to take a turn for the worst.


Louis Weasley sat on the floor of his room, wondering how he could possibly get everything into his trunk. School robes were scrunched up in messy heaps and stuffed between them were schoolbooks that looked as if they had seen better days, despite the fact they were only several weeks old. Louis pulled out one of his extra jumpers and concealed a box of Weasley Whizbangs, the newest fireworks from Uncle George, deep inside. The fireworks would definitely become necessary for survival through his second year at Hogwarts.

The terrors were coming. Since he was little, Louis had heard his aunts and uncles joke about how much trouble Fred and James would get into. It hadn't seemed like such a problem until Aunt Ginny's birthday party when they blew up the cake. Then the reality hit him: Louis was going to have to live with them, everyday, without anyone or anything hoping to control them. (James and Fred had already bet on who could get the most detentions.) It would be lucky if the Gryffindor common room survived in one piece.

The soft thud of footsteps echoed up the hallway. Louis slammed the lid shut and sat on the edge of his trunk. He tried to plaster on an innocent expression.

"You're all ready?" Bill asked, glancing around the room. Upon spotting the jumper and several discarded socks, he bent down and scooped them up. "Next time Mum offers to help you pack, Louis, I'd accept it. You're never too old for a little help. Right now, she's trying to help Vic pack the last of her NEWT books and her broomstick."

Louis shrugged, not daring to mention the real reason he wanted to pack by himself. It wasn't just because he was responsible (which was obviously very clear, after all he was 12.)

Bill opened the lid. "So that's would it's all about."

Louis glared at the offending Whizbang. "I promise Dad, I'm not trying to cause any trouble. This is purely self defense."

"Having one Whizbang isn't going to help you. If anything it just gives Fred and James more ammunition."

"Did you honestly think I was just going to have one prank for them? That would almost be suicidal."

"Fighting fire with fire only gets you burned."

"Like you've never pulled a prank. Does the word revenge mean anything to you?"

Bill's face turned the signature Weasley red. "With the twins around, I've attempted more revenge than you can even imagine. But with those two nothing ever worked. Uncle George has already told you the story of my Slytherin hair," Bill visibly shuddered. Louis grinned. Bill had slipped a potion into the twins' pumpkin juice when he was younger. It was supposed to give them unwashable, untransfigurable green and silver hair. Uncle George and Uncle Fred had somehow switched their glasses. Bill and Charlie had to shave their heads to be rid of those hideous colors.

"Louis, I know revenge. It hardly ever works." Bill continued in a low whisper. "Not that this is going to stop you from trying."

Louis beamed. At least his Dad realized the importance of his mission, and would defend him from Mum, when he blew up the library or something similar in retaliation of his younger cousins.

"However, I was hoping you would keep an eye on them. Show them the ropes."

"Why do I have to do it?" Louis whined. "It's only my second year. What about Vic, or Molly or Dominique or..." Louis trailed off as he tried to think of someone else to look after the mischievous little blighters. The only kid he'd ever seen them listen to was Teddy, and Teddy had unfortunately graduated last year.

"Vic's going to be stretched fairly thin. NEWTs are this year. You know she has to get at least an E in Potions, Arithmacy, Transfiguration, Herbology, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts to get into the St. Mungos training program.

"She's a perfectionist. Will get an O without trying. That girl can withstand Binns. An O in History of Magic. I think Aunt Hermione is the only other person who's ever done that."

Bill performed an extension charm on the trunk, before handing Louis several more jumpers and some more socks. "Not even a perfectionist can manage the workload (These aren't called the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests for nothing), perform Head Girl duties, attend Quidditch practice with the obsessive Alex Wood, help Dominique not fail Potions again and keep in contact with Teddy."

"Fine, fine. I won't bug Vic. She's been acting weird anyways, especially whenever she's around Teddy."

"You'll understand all about that when you get older." Bill silently prayed that Louis would continue to be oblivious to the opposite sex for a while longer. The year Victoire started dating was one of the most nerve wrecking of his life. At least Bill knew Teddy would never do something as stupid as break his daughters heart on purpose, not while living with Harry and Ginny as well as Lily who loved playing dress up with Victoire.

Louis shrugged his shoulders. "That's what everyone says." He tugged the trunk lid closed. It shut with a thud. "What's the mystical force stopping Molly or Dominique from being in charge?"

"Do you honestly think Molly is going to know how to control them? Add that to the fact, they'll be causing havoc around Gryffindor tower, while she's stuck in Ravenclaw, Molly's got the chance of a beetle left with a bowtruckle."

Louis rolled his eyes. "And she'll begin to panic if its not in one of her precious books. There are days when I wonder how she survives life with Dominique as her best friend."

"Lots of practice, I think. Dominique also can reason with her, make her put down those books, stop working herself to death and have some old fashioned fun." Bill's eyes glinted with pride. He didn't seem to mind too much that their "fun" wasn't strictly within the school rules and had landed both girls in detention.

Louis let out a sigh. His sister would talk to anything that moved (and some things that didn't) and win an argument. Dominique was as stubborn as they came. She'd sooner join forces with Fred and James than stop them.

"You're the best man for the job."

Louis resigned himself to what looked like a very long year.

* * *

><p>Louis could not believe his luck. It was already nearing the end of the year. He might actually live with his dignity attached. James and Fred had only caused minimum mayhem, none of which targeted Louis specifically.<p>

Professor Longbottom was giving a quiz today and Louis was far from ready. The names of the different warm-water dwelling plants were slipping his mind. Louis just couldn't seem to remember the subtle differences. He studied the book again. Normally, he wouldn't have cared but his birthday was fast approaching and Louis was really hoping for a new broom.

The clock on his bedside rang, "YOU'RE LATE!" Louis grabbed his book bag before running out the door at top speed.

Halfway down the hall, he felt something hitting the back of his head. Louis reached up and felt the little pieces of chalk. Louis whipped around. A little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth was floating cross- legged in the air behind him. Peeves flung another piece of chalk, hitting Louis between the eyes.

"Go away!" Louis shouted as he turned down a different corridor. He had already missed breakfast. Louis just needed to get out to the greenhouses soon.

"Oooh! Ickle Weasley has temper." Peeves let out a cackle.

"I'll," Louis paused. He wasn't sure he wanted to threaten Peeves yet. Louis listened hard for the sound of any other human who might be able to help him get to class. There was no one. "I'm going to tell the Baron, the Bloody Baron."

With a pop, Peeves was gone. Louis didn't hesitate. Peeves could be back any moment, as soon as he realized the Baron was far away most likely sulking around the Slytherin Common Room. Louis sprinted down the corridor. Only feet away from the door he knew led to the entrance hall, Louis' feet stopped moving.

The floor seemed to suck his foot right down into the stone. He yanked and tugged fruitlessly. Louis prodded the ground several times with his wand. Blue sparks exploded from its tip.

Something slimy hit his back. Louis didn't really want to know what it was. Another drop landed on the top of his head. The mass stuck the hair together. Louis tentatively ran his fingers through his hair. They hit a glob of honey.

The drips became more constant. Louis kept unconsciously looking up at the bucket fixed over his head, waiting it for it to completely spill over. He fought against whatever force it was that was keeping him there. Louis stopped struggling as the golden liquid hit him. He held his breath waiting for the downpour to end. He wiped the excess away from his eyes.

To his great relief, Louis could finally move out of that spot. The honey seemed to deactivate the trap. He trudged through the patch into the clear passage. Louis was going to just have to go back to the dormitories to clean up. It was humanly impossible to lift a quill at the moment, let alone concentrate. His shoes no longer gripped the floor. Louis slid them off.

He ran down an adjoining passage. Every once in a while, he would glance over his shoulder. It would be easier to avoid a professor all together. There would be fewer questions asked. Filch would throw a fit when he saw the state of his precious floor.

Just outside the common room, Louis felt a sudden change. He felt lighter; maybe the honey had fallen off. The Fat Lady stared at him briefly before swinging open, not bothering to ask for a password. "I'd go put some robes on. Stop parading around like a baboon."

It was then that two very important things hit him:

1) The fact he wasn't wearing anything besides his lucky boxers

2) The flash of Fred's camera

* * *

><p>Dear Uncle Bill,<p>

I hope you enjoy the picture we attached. We have absolutely no idea how Louis got covered in honey, or lost his clothes, or well was running down the hall avoiding Peeves. (_One of my more brilliant ideas.) _ Dominique seemed to enjoy it so we thought you might too. (_She said it was perfect black mail material.)_

See you at Easter,

James and _Fred_

_P.S. Can you try to convince Victoire to stop taking herself so seriously? I thought she was going to kill me, when there was a minor incident in the common room. _

* * *

><p>Dad,<p>

You know how much I love you, right? Well, I do, so can you please get James and Fred to leave me alone? It's torture. You won't leave your only son with these menaces. Save me from them, please.

Louis

P.S. I really didn't mean to do so badly on the Herbology quiz. I was just having a very bad day.

* * *

><p><strong>This was written for Morning Lilies' Photo Album Competition. The idea of the competition was to be given a picture and write a story involving it. My picture was: <strong>

**Louis Weasley in a compromising position: Stumbling through the portrait hole wearing nothing but boxers covered in smiley faces and carrying his shoes, which are dripping with something sticky and golden.**


End file.
